President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday ordered a crackdown on anti-China rallies in Seoul, saying the demonstrations are tarnishing the nation's image with their racist hate speech. Diplomatic officials have expressed concern that unrest could spill over into the APEC meeting, potentially complicating the Chinese leader's visit. "What is concerning ahead of the APEC meeting is protests, particularly anti-China rallies. In September, the Chinese Embassy issued a safety advisory urging Chinese tourists to "remain highly vigilant, strengthen their awareness of self-protection and stay away from local political gatherings." In an editorial last week, China's English-language tabloid Global Times welcomed the visa-free policy but expressed concern over anti-China protests.